Wire-stretcher.



No. 769,651. PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904.

- N. L. HATHORN.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 4, 1904.

NO MODEL.

i WW, lvdneaaea Patented September 6, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHANIEL L. HATHORN, OF ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA.

WlRE-STRETOHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,651, dated September 6, 1904.

Application filed June 4, 1904. Serial No. 211,178. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL L. HATHORN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alexandria, in Rapides parish and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVire-Stretchers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in wire-stretchers; and the object of the invention is to produce a simple and efficient means which will be within the reach of any farmer whereby slack may be taken up in the wires of a fence and easily and quickly fastened together.

The invention consists, further, in various details of construction and combination and arrangements of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

I illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my improved stretching device as applied to a fence.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the stretching apparatus in elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the member adapted to hold the ends of the wire while being tied. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view through said member for holding the ends of the wire.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a post of wire fence, and B the line-wires of the fence secured thereto.

My improved wire-stretching apparatus comprises a frame C, having a projecting hook U adapted for engagement with the post to securely hold the apparatus while the wires are being stretched. Said apparatus may be supported, if desired, in any other suitable manner than by means of the hook C. The

frame C is hollow and adapted to receive a longitudinally-movable ratchet-bar D, having teeth on the opposite edges thereof.

Pivotan operating-lever E, carrying two pawls F and F, which are pivotally mounted in the arms E of said lever and positioned one above and the other below the bar D and adapted to alternately engage the ratchet-teeth upon the upper and lower edges of said bar, as shown in the drawings, and for the purpose of imparting a continuous forward movement to the bar as the lever is swung backward and forward. A spring G is fastened at one end to said pawl F and its other end to pawl F and serves to hold the ends of said pawls in engagement with said ratchet-teeth.

Pivotally mounted upon a pin H, carried by a projection I rising from the top of said frame, isa wire-clamping jaw K, having a serrated edgc, as shown, and said jaw is adapted to engage and hold a wire between its serrated edge and the upper surface of the frame intermediate the flange L and said projection upon which the jaw is mounted. Mounted upon a portion of the ratchet-bar D beyond the ratchet-teeth thereon is a second jaw N, turning on a pivot-pin N, carried upon the projection O, which may be integral with or secured to said bar. A stationary jaw Q is carried by the projection O and is provided with a flange Q on one face thereof, said jaws N and Q being provided to grip a wire to be stretched as the bar is moved longitudinally.

Mounted upon the bar is a movable block R, having aset-screw R adapted to hold said block in any position upon the bar D, and said block is provided with a recess S, the opposite walls of which are apertured to receive a nail or pin T and in which recess the ends of wires which have been stretched are adapted to be tied. Said recess S is perfectly in line with the sets of clamping-jaws, and the block B may be moved back and forth upon the bar D and held in any location thereon where the ends of the wires to be fastened may happen to come. At the end of bar D is pivotally mounted alever J, and a jaw J at one end of the bar is adapted to cooperate with the hook or fixed jaw D, formed at the end of the bar D and provided as means for pulling staples.

In operation the hook C is placed against a post in the manner shown in the drawings, and one end of a wire to be stretched is gripped between one pair of jaws N and O, and the other end is gripped between jaws H and the upper surface of the frame intermediate the flange L and the projection I, and when the two ends of the wire are securely gripped the wires maybe drawn together by the operator swinging the lever E backward and forward, which will cause a continuous motion to be imparted to the bar D, causing the wires held by the clamping means to be stretched. After the wires have been suificiently stretched the ends thereof are inserted in the 'recess S of said block. One end of one Wire is bent back over the nail held in the Walls of said recess S, and the end of the other wire is similarly bent in an opposite direction over the nail and the two ends locked together, after which the apparatus may be removed from the fence, and the ends will be securely fastened together as they are drawn taut as the clamping-jaws are released from the wires.

While I have shown a particular form of apparatus embodying my wire-stretcher, it willbe understood that I may alter the same, if desired, as to details of construction withtion of said rack-bar, and means for fastening said block to the rack-bar, projections rising from said block forming a recess at one side of the block, and a pin fitted in register ing apertures in said projections and about which the ends of the Wires are adapted to be twisted and secured together, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NATHANIEL L. HATHORN. Witnesses:

D. SAoKMAN, CHAs. SACKMAN. 

